Indolent lymphoma

Indolent lymphoma
Other names	Low-grade lymphoma
Follicular lymphoma in the bone marrow
Specialty	Hematology and oncology
Symptoms	Swollen lymph nodes, chest or abdominal pain, skin lump[1]
Usual onset	60s
Treatment	Watchful waiting, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy[2]

Indolent lymphoma, also known as low-grade lymphoma, is a group of slow-growing non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs).^[3] Because they spread slowly, they tend to have fewer signs and symptoms when first diagnosed and may not require immediate treatment. Symptoms can include swollen but painless lymph nodes, unexplained fever, and unintended weight loss.^[2]

There are several subtypes, the most common of which is follicular lymphoma. Others include cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and Waldenström macroglobulinemia.^[2]

Indolent lymphoma accounts for 41 percent of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases in North America and Northern Europe. It mainly affects older adults, and affects men and women almost equally.^[4] White people have higher incidence rates than black and Asian people,^[5] but the cause of these disparities is poorly understood.^[5]

Indolent lymphoma is usually considered incurable without the use of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, unless the disease is localised. However, due to its slow-growing nature and response to treatment, patients often have prolonged survival.^[5]